Insulation material structure having crimped continued filament tow interposed between staple fiber webs

ABSTRACT

An insulation material structure having crimped continued filaments interposed between staple fiber webs. Crimped continued filament web is interposed between an upper and lower natural or synthetic staple fiber webs having low melty fibers therein. After subjecting to cross-laid lamination-forming process and thermal setting, a resilient, composite laminated layered structure is formed. The laminated layer structure is subsequently cut, sewed, and stitched onto the facing and lining fabrics located at the upper and lower layers to form a stretchable insulation material structure having multiple fiber layers.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to an insulation material structure having crimped continued filament tow interposed between staple fiber webs, in particular, a stretchable insulation material structure laminating the crimped continued filament tow with the staple fiber webs together, which is then subject to cross-laid lamination-forming process so as to form an insulation material structure with superior properties such as stretching recovery, drapability, restore after compression, and easy to process.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In the products such as garments, sleeping bag, and sleeping accommodation available on the market, the insulation materials with medium or thick thickness generally make use of multiple layers of staple fiber web structure having staple fibers inherent with good cohesive force, and apply shorter patterns in stitching (10 cm in garment products, and about 20 cm in sleeping bag and accommodation). To improve the properties of the insulation material such as easy to cut, sew, stitch, and durable to laundry, the staple fiber webs have to be incorporated with low melty fibers or sprayed with resin to enhance the structural integrity. However, such approach would deteriorate the stretching recovery, drapability, handfeel and compressive recovery of the insulation material. Such deterioration is getting worse with the increase in the thickness of the insulation material.

There is a need to provide an improved design to overcome existing problems of the prior art products.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a stretchable insulation material structure having crimped continued filament tow interposed between staple fiber webs. Crimped continued filament is interposed between an upper and lower natural or synthetic staple fiber webs having low melty fibers therein. After subjecting to cross-laid lamination-forming process and thermal setting, a fiber laminated structure with stretching recovery and in which the fibers layers therein may resiliently slide with respect to each other is formed. The fiber laminate is subsequently cut, sewed and stitched onto the stretchable facing and lining fabrics located at the upper and lower surface layers, thereby forming the stretchable insulation material structure having multiple composite fiber layers of the present invention.

The present invention makes use of the cohesive force exists in between the fibers in the staple fiber web of the composite fiber layers to secure the transverse positioning (horizontal displacement) of the continued filaments in the crimped continued filament web, but maintain the resilient stretching property of the parallel crimped continued filaments in the longitudinal direction. As such, the insulation layer possesses stretching recovery when in use, and will not become stiff and poor drapability regardless of the thickness of the fabric layers. Its conformability to the body can be kept at a good level. Moreover, as the crimped continued filament web is interposed between an upper and lower staple fiber webs, when the insulation material is compressed, the continued filaments of the crimped continued filament webs can isolate the upper and lower staple fiber webs in which the fibers are in a cohesion state because of compression. In this manner, a good fiber resilient restoring force is provided to the insulation material. Furthermore, as the continuous, crimped continued filament web layers are stitched onto the facing and lining fabrics to become an integral structure, the staple fiber webs will not break easily when stretched or restored. Therefore, the pattern between the stitches may be widened, thereby improving the problem of the cold spot effect due to the reduction of thickness to lower the heat insulation value, and the problem of breakage that would occur when the fibrous webs are subject to stretching or laundry.

Moreover, the present invention makes use of the composition of the crimped continued filaments and staple fibers cooperates with the needle punch and resin bonding processes so that the upper and lower staple fiber webs in which the fibers are in a cohesion state because of compression, may be isolated due to the effect of the crimped continued filament web. The space between the upper and lower staple fiber webs thus increases to form an insulation air layer which will provide better heat insulation effect. The air layer may contain more stagnant (condensed) air to provide a passive air insulation layer, thus increasing the additional value of the composite fiber products of the present invention.

Conventionally, insulation material having a certain extent of thickness is formed of multiple layers of staple fiber webs. To improve the processing property to avoid breakage on stretching, and to enhance the durability to laundry, the staple fiber webs are incorporated with low melty fibers or sprayed with resin to enhance the structural integrity. However, such approach results in deterioration of stretching recovery, drapability, good handfeel and restoring ability of the products. The present invention incorporates the easy processing feature of the staple fibers and the stretchable and resilient features of the parallel crimped continued filaments. When a multiple layered fabric web is incorporated with the staple fibers, the composite fibrous web does not break easily upon stretching or restoring, so that the insulation material, even though has a certain extent of thickness, still remains stretchable, soft and drapable. The stitching of the stretchable facing fabric and lining fabric onto the insulation material further improve the resistance to breakage on stretching or washing. Furthermore, the structure wherein the staple fiber web sandwiches the crimped continued filament web is superior to the structure solely composed of crimped continued filament web which is difficult to process or to stitch. The flexibility of process is thus improved. Besides, the staple fiber webs combined in a natural or functional manner supplement the functions that are lacked in the composite crimped continued filaments and improve the evenness of the fabric web. The structure not only is easy to process, but can also fill the pattern between the filaments of the crimped continued filament web.

Therefore, the multi-layered fibrous web structure according to the present invention not only has the inherent properties of the crimped continued filament and staple fiber webs, but the composite design thereof also improves tremendously the performance of the overall insulation material, and hence overcome the following existing problems of the conventional products.

-   -   1. Poor resilience in restoring after compression: during the         packaging and transportation of the conventional insulation         padding, the fabrics will reduce in thickness by about 30% due         to compression, which renders the efficiency of the insulation         decrease.     -   2. Poor stretching ability: since the staple fiber insulation         fabric has poor drawing and stretching ability, when it is         subject to multiple mechanical laundries, the staple fiber will         entangle in cluster or the padding web may break, which will         result in decrease of insulation efficiency.     -   3. Poor stretching recovery: a padding web formed of only staple         fiber web laminate is poor in stretching recovery, and may not         restore after over stretching, which will result in deformation         or breakage.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings illustrating preferred embodiments, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic drawing showing the fiber layers of the insulation material structure having multiple fiber layers according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 shows the cross-laid lamination structure according to the present invention;

FIG. 3 schematically shows the cross-laid laminated fiber layers according to the present invention;

FIG. 4 schematically shows the stitching of the fiber layers according to the present invention;

FIG. 5 shows an application of the present invention on a garment product, and the variation in the fibers when subject to different forces;

FIG. 6 shows the variation in the fibers of the fiber layer when subject to a force and is stretched;

FIG. 7 shows the variation in the fibers of the fiber layer when restored or unstressed;

FIG. 8 shows a preferred embodiment of the present invention which is consisted of a single ply of crimped continued filament web laminated with a single ply of staple fiber web; and

FIG. 9 shows a preferred embodiment of the present invention which is consisted of a single ply of staple fiber web laminated with a single ply of crimped continued filament web.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is related to an insulation material structure having the crimped continued filament tow enclosed between the staple fiber web layers. The insulation material structure is consisted of multiple fiber layers. In the insulation material structure, a crimped continued filament web is interposed between an upper and lower staple fiber webs having low melty fibers therein. After subjecting to cross-laid lamination and thermal setting, a fiber laminated structure in which the fibers layers therein may resiliently slide with respect to each other is formed. The fiber laminate is subsequently cut, sewed and stitched onto the facing and lining fabrics located at the upper and lower layers to form an insulation material structure having multiple fiber layers. The cohesive force existing between the fibers of the staple fiber web serves to secure the transverse positioning (horizontal displacement) of the fibers in the crimped continued filament web, but maintain the stretching recovery and stretching ability of the crimped continued filament web in longitudinal direction. Accordingly, the overall insulation material may provide the functions of stretching and stretching recovery in the staple fiber web fiber layers due to the fact that the parallel, crimped continued filament web has the ability to stretch and restore. Under the circumstances, the staple fibers will not become felted or deteriorate in stretching recovery. The crimped continued filament web enclosed between the staple fiber webs may then provide the functions of stretching and stretching recovery in between the fiber layers, precluding the staple fibers from becoming felted or deteriorating in stretching recovery. The insulation material will not become stiff and its conformability to the body is maintained at a good level regardless of the thickness of the fibrous webs. Further, as the crimped continued filament web layers are stitched onto the facing fabric and lining fabric to become an integral structure, the pattern between the stitches may be widened, thereby improving the problems of breakage that often occur when the fibrous webs are subject to stretching or laundry. The present invention is applicable on insulation materials with medium or thick thickness which are needed for garments, sleeping bag, or sleeping accommodation.

The structure and arrangement of the present invention shall be detailed hereinbelow so that the merits of the present invention can be readily understood. It is to be referenced that the implementation and practice of the present invention shall not be limited to the particular details readily conceivable to those skilled in the art. Moreover, the compositions or steps commonly known are not specified in the detailed descriptions, so that the scope of the present invention is not unreasonably limited.

With reference to FIGS. 1 to 3, in which FIG. 1 schematically shows an insulation material structure with multiple fiber layers according to the present invention; FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of a cross-laid laminated structure; and FIG. 3 shows a laminated fiber layer structure formed by cross-laid lamination. As shown in FIG. 1, in the present invention, a crimped continued filament web (1) is interposed between an upper layer and a lower layer of staple fiber web (2), each having low melty fiber therein. The crimped continued filament web (1) has superior fiber tensile strength and resilient features, while the staple fiber web (2) having low melty fibers has superior fiber cohesive force, and can be easily subject to cutting, sewing, and stitching processes. Furthermore, the surface of the staple fiber web may be optionally sprayed with resin to enhance the structure integrity and prevent alopecia. When the staple fiber webs (2) are used to enclose the crimped continued filament web (1), the cohesive force provided by the staple fibers of the staple fiber webs (2) may secure the transverse positioning (horizontal displacement) of the continued filaments of the crimped continued filament web (1), while maintaining the resilient stretching property of the crimped parallel continued filaments in the longitudinal direction. As such, the crimped continued filament web (1) enclosed between the staple fiber webs (2) may resiliently move in between the fiber layers, so that the staple fibers will not become felted or deteriorate in stretching recovery, which may result in the reduction of stretching recovery or restoring force in the thickness of the fiber layers, rendering the fiber layers to become stiff and poor drapability. The softness of the fiber layer and its conformability to the body can be kept at a good level.

When the fiber laminate is subsequently subject to a cross-laid lamination process, a cross-laid fiber laminate as shown in FIG. 2 is formed. After a further treatment of thermal setting, a fiber laminated structure in which the fiber layers are capable of resiliently sliding with respect to each other is formed. The fiber laminate is then cut, sewed, and stitched onto the resilient facing fabric (3) and lining fabric (4) located at the upper and lower layers, thereby forming the stretchable insulation material structure having composite fiber layers of the present invention. With respect to the present invention, after the fiber layers have been cross-laid laminated, the structure of the fiber layers is as the fabric web structure shown in FIG. 3. As shown in the drawing, a preferred embodiment of the present invention is exemplified by a double layered crimped continued filament web (1). However, the crimped continued filament web in four or six layers can also be used depending on the thickness needed. Optionally, a plurality of paired layers exceeding the number of six can be applied based on the thickness required. The crimped continued filament web (1) is interposed between the upper and lower staple fiber webs (2) consist of thermal bond filaments. As mentioned hereinbefore, the present invention disposes the crimped continued filament web (1) in between the upper and lower staple fiber webs (2) consist of low melty fibers to form the fiber laminate. After the fiber laminate has been subjected to cross-laid lamination, the parallel, crimped continued filament web (1) not only isolates the upper and lower staple fiber webs (2) in parallel, but also isolates the staple fiber cross-laid web (5) formed by the cross-laid staple fiber webs (2). As shown in FIG. 3, the cross-laid laminated fiber laminate primarily includes two layers of crimped continued filament web, an upper layer (11) disposed between the upper and lower staple fiber webs (21, 22), and a lower layer (12) disposed between the upper and lower staple fiber webs (23, 24). As a result of cross-laid relationship, the staple fiber webs (22, 23) disposed between the upper and lower laminates form the staple fiber cross-laid web (5). Accordingly, the present invention is featured in that a crimped continued filament web (1) is interposed between the staple fiber webs (2) or between the staple fiber cross-laid web (5) in each laminate.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, after the fiber laminate has been cross-laid laminated, after cutting and a facing fabric (3) and a lining fabric (4) are stitched onto the top and bottom facing layers of the fiber laminate by stitching (6), thereby forming the insulation material structure having multiple fiber layers of the present invention.

In the present invention, the cohesive force existing between the fibers of the staple fiber web (2) of the composite fiber layers serves to secure the transverse positioning (horizontal displacement) of the fibers in the crimped continued filament web (1), but maintain the resilient tensile property of the crimped continued filament web (1) in longitudinal direction. In this way, when the insulation material is subject to a force, the crimped continued filament web (1) between the fiber layers may displace resiliently, which may preclude the staple fibers from becoming felted or deteriorate in stretching recovery. Accordingly, the fibrous webs do not become inelastic, stiff or unconformable to the body skin, even if the thickness of fibrous webs is increased. Further, the softness of the fiber layer and its conformability to the body can be kept at a good level. FIG. 5 schematically shows the variation of the fibers when the cloth product on which the present invention is applied is subject to different forces. FIG. 6 schematically shows the variation of the fibers when the present invention is subject to a force and stretched. FIG. 7 schematically shows the variation of the fibers when the present invention is resiliently restored. As shown in FIG. 5, when the fiber laminate according to the present invention is bent by a force (refer to the fiber structure variation drawing shown at the right), the crimped continued filament webs (11, 12) located between the staple fiber webs (21, 24) and short fiber cross-laid web (5) may be resiliently stretched to slide in its longitudinal direction, and the fiber laminate is compressed, such that the insulation material according to the present invention is soft and drapable, and the conformability and good handfeel of the fiber is not affected by the thickness. As the fiber laminate according to the present invention is not subject to a force (refer to the fiber structure variation drawing shown at the left), the crimped continued filament webs (11, 12) are resiliently crimped, and isolate the short fiber cross-laid web (5) from the staple fiber webs (21, 24) at the top and the bottom, so that the caliper or thickness of the fiber laminate can be maintained.

FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate in details the variation of the fibers in the present invention when compressed and resiliently restored, respectively. As shown in FIG. 6, when the present invention fiber laminate is compressed and stretched, the crimped continued filament webs (11, 12) located between the staple fiber webs (21, 24) and staple fiber cross-laid web (5) may be resiliently stretched to slide in its longitudinal direction, so that the overall fiber laminate is not stiff and resilient, and hence is best conformable to the body. At this instant, the staple fibers in the staple fiber webs (21, 24) and the short fiber cross-laid web (5), and the continued filaments in the crimped continued filament webs (11, 12) produce a cohesive force therebetween, such that the staple fiber webs (21, 24) and the staple fiber cross-laid web (5) do not break during stretching, and the fiber distribution is loose in density (as shown in the drawings).

When the force is removed, as shown in FIG. 7, the fibers of the crimped continued filament webs (11, 12) are resiliently restored, the staple fiber webs (21, 24) located respectively at the upper and lower layers, and the staple fiber cross-laid web (5) restore to its original state of density, so that the fiber laminate restores to its thickness. Likewise, after the force is removed from the above-mentioned composite fiber laminate under compression, the crimped continued filament webs (11, 12) will restore to its original state due to stretching recovery of the crimped fibers.

Further, the composite fiber layers formed by the continued filament and short fiber laminates are subject to needle punch and resin bonding forming processes, so that the upper and lower staple fiber webs (21, 24) in which the fibers are in a cohesion state because of compression, may bounce apart due to the property of the crimped continued filament webs (11, 12). The space between the upper and lower staple fiber webs (21, 24) thus increases to form an insulation air layer (7) which will provide better heat insulation effect. The air layer (7) may contain more stagnant (condensed) air to provide a passive air insulation to the product and keep the product warm.

In the present invention, the crimped continued filament web (1) is interposed between the parallel, upper and lower staple fiber web (2). When the insulation material is released of the compressive force, the continued filaments of the crimped continued filament web (1) can isolate the upper and lower staple fiber webs (2) in which the fibers are in a cohesion state because of compression. In this manner, a good fiber resilient restoring force is provided to the insulation material.

The present invention incorporates the easy processing feature of the staple fiber web (2) and the stretchable and resilient features of the crimped continued filament web (1). When a multiple layered fibrous web is formed with the staple fiber web (2), the composite fibrous web does not break easily when the composite fibrous web stretches or restores, so that the insulation material may possess a certain thickness, yet remain softness, drapability and good handfeel. The stretching facing fabric (3) and lining fabric (4) are integrated to the crimped continued filament web (1), and as such, the staple fiber webs (2) do not break easily upon stretching or restoring. Therefore, the stitching pattern can be effectively widened, so that the fibers do not break easily when the fibrous web is stretched or laundered. Furthermore, the structure wherein the staple fiber webs (2) sandwich the crimped continued filament web (1) is superior to the structure solely composed of a crimped continued filament web (1) which is difficult to process or to stitch. Besides, the natural or synthetic staple fiber web (2) provides the functions and web evenness that are lacked in the crimped continued filament web. The staple fiber web (2) is not only easy to process, but also enhances the gap between the filaments of the crimped continued filament web (1). Therefore, the multi-layered fibrous web according to the present invention not only has the inherent properties of the crimped continued filament webs (1) and the staple fiber webs (2), but the composite design thereof also improves tremendously the performance of the overall insulation material, and hence overcome the existing problems of the conventional products.

According to design of the composite fiber layer of the present invention, a single ply of crimped continued filament web (1) is laminated with a single ply of staple fiber web (2), and the resultant fiber laminate is subject to a cross-laid lamination-forming process and a thermal setting treatment to form a fiber laminated structure in which the fibers layers may resiliently slide with respect to each other. This is due to the fact that the single ply of staple fiber web (2) in the fiber laminate has the same cohesive force to secure the transverse positioning of the continued filaments in the crimped continued filament web (1), and also maintain the stretching recovery and stretching property of the parallel crimped continued filaments of the fiber laminate in the longitudinal direction, so that the insulation material has stretching recovery. In use, the composite fiber layer of the present invention may maintain softness, perfect drapability, and superior handfeel. Accordingly, the composite fiber layer has the same function and effects as the afore-mentioned composite fiber layers having the crimped continued filament web (1) interposed between the top and bottom layers of staple fiber webs (2). Therefore, the single laminate concept should be within the realm of the present invention. As regards the afore-mentioned laminated structure consisting of a single ply of crimped continued filament web (1) and a single ply of staple fiber web (2), as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the crimped continued filament web (1) can be the upper layer, the staple fiber web (2) be the lower layer (see FIG. 8), or vice versa (see FIG. 9). The two layers are laminated and then subject to cross-laid lamination-forming and thermal setting treatment. Subsequently, the surface may be optionally sprayed with resin to enhance the structure integrity and prevent fiber leaking. All the afore-mentioned preferred embodiments provide the same function and effects, and hence are all within the realm of the present invention.

Although the foregoing has been described in terms of presently preferred and alternate embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the invention is not limited to the embodiments described. The present invention can be practiced with modification and alteration within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. The description is thus to be regarded as illustrative instead of limiting on the present invention. 

What is claimed is:
 1. An insulation material structure comprising an upper staple fiber web, a lower staple fiber web, and a crimped continued filament web interposed between the upper and lower staple fiber webs, the webs being subject to a cross-laid lamination-forming process and a thermal setting treatment, thereby forming a fiber laminate having stretching recovery properties, wherein the fiber layers are capable of resiliently sliding with respect to each other, the fiber laminate being cut, sewed, and stitched onto a facing fabric and a lining fabric located at the top and bottom of the insulation material structure respectively, whereby the insulation material structure is formed to have multiple fiber layers.
 2. The insulation material structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the staple fiber webs comprise multiple low melty fibers, and the surface of each of the fibrous web is optionally sprayed with resin.
 3. The insulation material structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fiber laminate formed by the cross-laid lamination-forming process is a dual-ply structure, comprising: an upper and a lower crimped continued filament web, an upper and a lower staple fiber web disposed on the top and bottom of the upper crimped continued filament web, and an upper and a lower staple fiber web disposed on the top and bottom of the lower crimped continued filament web; wherein the staple fiber webs disposed between the upper and lower laminate form a staple fiber cross-laid web as a result of the cross-laid relationship, and the crimped continued filament web is interposed between the staple fiber webs or staple fiber cross-laid webs in each laminate.
 4. The insulation material structure as claimed in claim 3, wherein the fiber laminate formed by subjecting to the cross-laid lamination-forming process comprises more than two layers having paired layers of crimped continued filament web.
 5. The insulation material structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fiber laminate formed by subjecting to the cross-laid lamination-forming process comprises wider stitching pattern after being stitched onto a facing and lining fabrics, so that the fibrous webs do not break easily when subject to stretching or laundry.
 6. The insulation material structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the enclosed crimped continued filament web isolates the upper and lower staple fiber webs in which the fibers are in a cohesion state, is due to the property of the crimped continued filament webs, so that an insulation air layer is formed between the upper and lower staple fiber webs.
 7. The insulation material structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the laminate is composed of a single ply of crimped continued filament web, and a single ply of staple fiber web laminated together, and the laminated fibrous webs are subject to a cross-laid lamination-forming process and a thermal setting treatment to form the insulation material structure in which the fibers layers are capable of resiliently sliding with respect to each other.
 8. The insulation material structure as claimed in claim 7, wherein in the fiber laminate, the crimped continued filament web is the upper layer and the staple fiber web is the lower layer.
 9. The insulation material structure as claimed in claim 7, wherein in the fiber laminate, the crimped continued filament web is the lower layer and the staple fiber web is the upper layer. 